Oak Creek Elementary

Oak Creek Families,

We have finished our last full day with students and already celebrated our fifth graders completing their elementary school years! Please remember that next Monday is only a half-day and dismissal is at 11:00. 5th grade parents are welcome to come inside and line the walls from the 5th-grade bathrooms to the side doors as we do our school-wide "clap out" to celebrate their last time walking out as an elementary student. The 5th graders will walk through the school while we all clap and cheer them on, ending with the walk out the side door in the 5th grade wing where the parents will be. Parents can then take their children from there, and walk out front younger siblings.

In order to help the traffic and parking flow, we have a few reminders:

• Any 5th grade parents who can, please park at Westlake Park and walk up to pick up students.
• The additional walking families cause more congestion, so all parents, please watch carefully for others in the parking lot.

Thank you in advance for your patience and grace!

Read below for important information, including reminders for verification for all students, photos of field day, and more! If you have any questions, please see the FAQ section below, or feel free to reach out to myself or Tess Kristoffersson at kristoft@loswego.k12.or.us.

Thank you again for your support from home!

Barb Keeton

Updated in Every Edition:

• Principal's Message
• Dates to Remember
• PTO Corner

NEW In This Edition:

• SMART Reader Thank You
• Congratulations to Drew!

Repeated Information:

• Kids' Storytime Flyer
• Changes to COVID-19 Response
• Elementary Strings Program 23-24
• Title-IA - Change in School Designation
• Save the Date: Smart Start 2023!
• 2023-2024 Verification
• Purposeful People
• Nurses' Newsletter

LOSD District News:

• Lake Oswego Youth Athletic Opportunities
• Hiring for School Bus Drivers
• LOSD Cares
• Tualatin Food Pantry
• "I Love Lake Oswego" Clothing Closet
• SafeOregon
• Subscribe to Lake Oswego Schools App

June 12: Last Day for Students! 11:00 Dismissal

June 12: PTO Beach Party; 4-6

More than 16,000 students in grades 3-5 competed across the U.S. in the Who Was History bee this year. Oak Creek’s Drew Havens was one of four regional champions! Drew represented the Western Region. He received $2500, a set of 24 Who Was books for himself, and an additional set for the library at Oak Creek. Congratulations, Drew!

The SMART program has been supporting our some of our kindergarten students all year. Just since May 2nd, SMART read a total of 70 times with students and they gave away a total of 224 books. We are so thankful for their support!

Field Day was a huge success! Thank you to Laef Swanson, and our PTO for providing funding for Scott "Mag" Hughes from We Care Sports to return with his field day program, and for organizing all the volunteers and logistics!

The Oregon Department of Education and Oregon Health Authority has updated requirements for school districts' communicable disease management planning for the 2023-24 school year. Included are the following changes to our COVID-19 response:

Effective May 11:

• Several sources of COVID-19 data ended. We will archive our dashboard and CDC Community Level metrics shared in our newsletter, website, and school signage.

• A five-day period of isolation for those infected with COVID-19 is no longer recommended for the general population, including people in K-12 education settings. Our schools will continue to follow the recommendation for students and staff to stay home until fever free for 24 hours and symptoms improve.

Effective June 17:

• The COVID-19 vaccination requirement for public and private school teachers, staff, and school volunteers (OAR 333-019-1030) will be lifted. That means that after June 16, teachers, school staff, and school volunteers will no longer have to provide proof of vaccination or have a valid medical or religious exception on file to be in direct or indirect contact with students.

Click here for more information!

Effective with the 2023-24 school year, Oak Creek Elementary will no longer be designated as Title-1A. Several criteria impacted this decision, including the recent elementary school boundary change, Oak Creek, demographic data, and the increasing need for district funds to maintain a level of support for a two school model. Federal Title-IA pays for one licensed reading specialist and one classified reading assistant. The decision also coincided with the retirement of our Title-1A specialist (Laura Johnson).

Smart Start is an opportunity specifically for our students with 504s and IEPs, and their parents and guardians, to make introductions and connect with their teachers and to feel prepared and welcomed for the start of school. Smart Start is in person on Thursday, Aug. 31,12:30-2:30 p.m.

Teachers will be familiar with your student’s plan and accommodations. To help get to know your students, please complete the attached one-page profile or create one on your own ahead of time, and give it to the teacher at the Smart Start introduction.

Also, to assist in your family’s preparation for the new school year use the Smart Start checklist for parents and guardians of students with 504s and IEPs.

See you on August 31!

Beginning April 28, LOSD needs parents/guardians of all students enrolled for the 2023-24 school year to log into ParentVUE and review/update your students' information through the Register/Verify tab. This benefits both families and schools by:

• Ensuring that schools have accurate information to reach parents and other contacts in both emergency and non-emergency situations. Verification is important even if your address or contact information has not changed over the past year because the school may have incorrect information from a previous year.
• Confirming parent email addresses for Google Classroom and other applications to participate in your student's learning.
• Enabling distribution of key information in the district's K-12 Family Handbook. If you have forgotten your ParentVUE password, go to the login page, click "I am a Parent," then click "Forgot Password."
  
  

If you are unsure whether you have a ParentVUE account, contact your student's school. For assistance with the verification process, refer to the user guide on the LOSD website or contact your student's school.

Hey OCE!

Last day of school!

The last day of school is Monday, June 12th and we are celebrating with a community BEACH PARTY!

Where: Oak Creek Elementary field / playground / undercover blacktop

When: Monday, June 12th (last day of school!), 4-6p

Attire: beach casual

What: photo booth

arts & crafts

first come, first served goodie bags

yearbook signing

playground fun

music

Smak Dab’s + Kona Ice available for purchase

Volunteers, we will be celebrating all of you at the end of the party with cake. Also, if you have not already, please stop by the Oak Creek office to grab your appreciation gift. Thank you for all of the time you have contributed to our school!

We are so excited to wrap up the school year OCE students and parents!

Final Fundraising Opportunity!

Celebrate your family’s time at OCE with a personalized, engraved brick paver placed in the patio in the front of the school! You can customize up to 8 lines of messaging. This timeless donation will always be there, even after your family has graduated out of the school. Proceeds support the PTO. Orders are due June 5th, and the bricks will be installed over the summer. Order your brick today!

Get your OCE spirit wear! Use this link to shop for all of your coyote gear.

A note from your PTO President:

Dear Volunteers, Teachers and Staff, Parents, and Students,

As my time as the President of our beloved Parent Teacher Organization comes to an end, I wanted to take a moment to express my deepest gratitude and appreciation for the incredible support and dedication you have all shown throughout the past three years. It has been an honor and a privilege to work alongside such an extraordinary group of individuals who have consistently demonstrated their unwavering commitment to our school and community.

To our incredible volunteers, you are the backbone of our organization. Your selfless contributions of time, effort, and talent have made a significant impact on the lives of our students and the overall success of our PTO. Whether you were helping to organize fundraising events, chaperoning field trips, teaching art literature, moderating OBOB, or assisting with various school activities, your enthusiasm and willingness to lend a hand have made a positive difference that will be cherished for years to come.

To our dedicated teachers and staff, you are the true heroes of our school. Your passion for education, creativity, and unwavering dedication have not only shaped the minds of our children but have also inspired them to reach new heights. Your tireless efforts to create a nurturing and inclusive learning environment have been truly remarkable, and I am forever grateful for the impact you have had on our students' lives.

To our incredible parents, you are the foundation of our school community. Your unwavering support, active involvement, and open lines of communication have played a vital role in our collective success. Your commitment to your children's education and well-being is evident in the way you engage with our school events, parent-teacher conferences, and various PTO activities. Your partnership and collaboration have been invaluable, and I am grateful for the trust you have placed in us.

And last but certainly not least, to our incredible students, you are the reason we have poured our hearts into this organization. Your boundless curiosity, infectious energy, and remarkable talents have continually reminded us of the incredible potential that lies within each and every one of you. As you continue to learn and grow, I encourage you to embrace every opportunity, chase your dreams, and always remember that you are capable of achieving greatness.

As I step down from my role as President, I leave with a sense of fulfillment and pride in all that we have accomplished together. I have witnessed firsthand the incredible things we can achieve when we work together as a united community. While my time as President may be coming to an end, I am confident that our PTO will continue to thrive under new leadership, guided by the same unwavering spirit of collaboration and commitment.

To the incoming President and the new team, I offer my heartfelt encouragement and support. You are stepping into a role that will allow you to make a lasting impact on the lives of our children and the overall well-being of our school. I have every confidence that you will bring fresh ideas, boundless enthusiasm, and unwavering dedication to the position. Embrace this opportunity with open arms and remember that you have an incredible community standing beside you, ready to lend a helping hand whenever needed.

Once again, I extend my deepest gratitude to each and every one of you for your unwavering support and commitment over the past three years. It has been an honor to serve as your President, and I am eternally grateful for the memories we have created together. As we embark on this new chapter, I am excited for what lies ahead and confident in our collective ability to continue building a brighter future for our children.

With warmest regards,

Kirstin Martin Outgoing President, Oak Creek Elementary PTO

Follow us on social media!

Facebook @ Oak Creek Elementary

Instagram @ Oak Creek Elementary PTO

Questions? OakCreekElementaryPTO@gmail.com

Oak Creek Elementary PTO Executive Committee

Kirstin Martin / President

Amanda Schade / Treasurer VP

Samantha McCaskey / Assistant Treasurer VP

Page Donnelly/ Membership VP

Brooke Mattern / Communications VP

Holli Hansford / Co-Events and Enrichment VP

Barry Hansford / Co-Events and Enrichment VP

Steve Farnham / Co-Fundraising VP

Heather Shoyer / Co-Fundraising VP

Lauren Terpstra / Parental Involvement VP

Rachel Wilde / Secretary VP

Teressa Raine / Sustainability VP

Dear Oak Creek Families,

During the month of May, we will be investing our time and attention on the character trait of CREATIVITY in our Social Emotional Learning (SEL) lessons, classrooms, and throughout our school community. CREATIVITY is one of three traits we have focused on throughout the year that helps students Be Well.

The definition students will be learning this month is: Creativity: Using your imagination to create something new or solve a problem.

One of the best things about being a human is our ability to imagine! We have this cool part of our brain that allows us to not just think about survival, but also about sparkly space pigeons or colorful caterpillars or a cardboard box that is secretly a rocket ship. It is that same imagination that makes a sandbox into the moon that is capable of imagining the world’s problems as opportunities for new, bold, innovative solutions. The only way we change the negative normals in our world is to have the Courage and Creativity to think differently and exercise our imagination to help make the world better!

In Partnership,

Roxanne Davidson

School Counselor

Asthma/Allergy Medications at School

It is critical to the health and safety of your student to bring ALL doctor recommended medications to school. Over the summer, speak with your doctor to get the proper supplies for school and then go to the LOSD web page to find the proper forms to be completed with the medications. If your student is in Elementary or Secondary and will store their meds at school, watch for a medication drop off time for your particular school. If they are in secondary and keeping their medication in their possession, please submit the proper paperwork so we are aware of where to find their medication in case of an emergency.

Individualized Health Plan? - Watch for an Email

If your child has a LOSD Individualized Health Plan (IHP) developed in consultation with your District Nurse, please watch for an email! Your response is needed to confirm or update your student's plan. We appreciate your prompt response.

Immunizations

Please review the OHA requirements and information on required immunizations for students. Please make arrangements to complete immunizations and update Synergy over the summer to avoid exclusion in 2024.

If you would like to speak to your school’s district nurse, click the link below for contact information.

Contact your District Nurse

LO Girls Youth Basketball Camps: Girls 3rd-8th grade. Join the LO high school girls basketball coaches for a great week of basketball action! Come grow as a player through drills, contests, scrimmages, team activities, and more! Players will be grouped by similar ages and abilities. All players will receive a camp t-shirt. Three camp sessions to choose from! To learn more and register click here: Dates and Registration

Lake Oswego Youth Tackle Football fall 2023 registration is open! Register HERE

www.lakerfootball.com

I Love Lake Oswego Clothing Closet has received an overwhelming amount of support and donation during the pandemic. We want to give back to our community and encourage our community to lean on us not for just hard times, but for up cycling, sustainability, and for our environment. In the past the closet was just for students, and since the pandemic we have opened our doors to anyone within our community.

Visit https://www.ilovelakeoswego.com for more information.

Parents-guardians who have concerns about a student’s well-being are encouraged to reach out to their principal and maintain strong lines of communication and partnership between students, families, staff, and other resources. SafeOregon is also an effective way to report a tip regarding safety threats or potential acts of violence to our students or schools. Students should also be aware that intentionally providing a false report is a serious offense. https://www.safeoregon.com/

In addition, below are reporting methods for parents-guardians or students to use to report issues related to racist, bias, or harassment incidents.

· Incident Report for Elementary School

· Incident Report for Middle Schools

· Incident Report for High Schools

Stay connected to the district and your school(s) and receive urgent notifications by subscribing to the Lake Oswego Schools App.

Reach out to us if you have any questions or need anything!

• Principal; Barb Keeton: keetonb@loswego.k12.or.us
• Administrative Assistant; Terese Kristoffersson: kristoft@loswego.k12.or.us
• Administrative Assistant; Tanya Goodwin: goodwint@loswego.k12.or.us

Address: 55 Kingsgate Rd., Lake Oswego, OR 97035

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/OakCreekPTA/

Interested in OCE Spirit Wear? Check out this website sponsored by our PTO! OCE Spirit Wear